A necessary amount of laundry aids such as detergent, softener, or bleach is properly dispensed to a washtub from a laundry aid container containing a predetermined amount of the laundry aid in accordance with laundering modes such as a rough washing mode, a main washing mode, a rinsing mode, and a spin mode.
FIG. 1 shows a washing machine employing a conventional laundry aid dispenser.
As shown in the drawing, a washing machine comprises an outer cabinet 2, a washtub 1 disposed in the outer cabinet 2, a top cover 3 secured to the upper end of the outer cabinet 2, an access lid 5 hingedly mounted for opening and closing an opening formed on the top cover 3 so that clothes can be loaded and unloaded through the opening, and an operation panel 4 for controlling the operation of the washing machine, provided in the rear area of the top cover 3.
In addition, in order to dispense the laundry aids into the washtub 1, there is provided a laundry aid dispenser comprising a housing 6 mounted on a rear-top area of the top cover 3 and extended toward the opening of the top cover 3, a laundry aid container 8 inserted into the housing 6, and a shower member 7 disposed on the laundry aid container 8. The laundry aid container 8 is divided into a plurality of chambers, each containing a different laundry aid. Water is supplied to a top of the housing 6 and is sprayed by the shower member 7 to a desired chamber of the container 8, the chamber containing a laundry aid for a current operation mode. The laundry aid contained in the desired chamber of the laundry aid container 8 is dissolved by the water from the shower member 7, and is then fed to the washtub 1.
However, the housing extending toward the opening of the top cover causes inconvenience to the user when loading and unloading clothes, and the complicated structure of the dispenser entails a problem of productivity. Furthermore, the water fed to the laundry aid container is likely to overflow to undesired spaces, which deteriorates washing efficiency.
In addition, the separately manufactured housing causes an increase in manufacturing costs.